Bomb release mechanism



1944. w. Bud- AL ETAL 2,365,049

BOMB RELEASE MECHANISM Filed April 30, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WERNER BUCHAL HERMANN E.VEIT

ATTO NE 1944- w. BUCHAL ETAL 2,365,049

BOMB RELEASE MECHANISM Filed April 50, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WERNER BUCHAL HERMANN E. VEIT AITO NEY 1944. w. BUCHAL ETAL 2,365,049

BOMB RELEASE MECHANISM Filed April so, 1943 a Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGS? 7 919 INVENTOR WERNER BUCHAL HERMANN E. VEIT ATT EY Patented Dec. 12, 1944 BOMB RELEASE MECHANISM Werner Bnchal and Hermann E. Veit, Parkviile.

Md., assignors to The Glen L. Martin C pany, Middle River, Md... a corporation of Maryland Application April 30, 1943, Serial No. 485,125

(Cl- Bil-1.5)

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement inza bomb. rack release unit and more particularly a safety device on the bomb release lever of the control unit of a bomb rack.

In the conventional bomb rack, supporting a bomb shackle, there is a control unit having actuating levers which engage the release and arming levers of a bomb shackle. It is sometimes necessary and desirable to dump all of the bomb load before landing an airplane. When this occurs, the plane may be in a damaged condition and the ordinary means, such as the convenfor the actuating thereof in response to the remote control of the bomb control unit. The release of the control lever units and the shackle levers will be explained in more detail. The control units are permanently mounted on the cross bracket between the upright portions of the bomb rack. The ends of levers l3 and H surround the tional bomb release, located in the bombardiers station and the emergency release mechanism may be out of operation. Under such conditions, it is necessary to enter the bomb bay and manually release the bomb shackle levers to release the bombs. The conventional bomb release mechanism makes the manual release of the bombs a very difficult operation. Severel expedients have been employed to overcome the dimculty, but the result has usually impaired the efliciency of the bomb release mechanism or detracted from the safety of the device.

By this invention a safety device may be employed in connection with the bomb release unit lever whereby the manual operation may be easily accomplished. a

The structure of the safety device of this invention may be readily applied to existing installations with a minimum of rework.

Further and other objects will become apparent from the description ofthe accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure and in which like numerals refer to like parts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bomb in a conventional bomb rack.

Figures 2 to 6 show one embodiment of the safety device for use on the bomb reieaseunit.

Figures 7 to 12 show a modification of the invention.

Figure l of the drawings shows a bomb l supported by a bomb shackle 2 suspended from hooks 3 and 4 on upright members 5 and 6 which are integral with the structure of the airplane. On a cross bracket l is mounted the bomb shackle control unit 8. The bomb is supported from the bomb shackle by hooks 9 which engage the loops in straps l0. Lever II is the arming lever of the bomb shackle and lever I2 is the release lever. Levers i3 and ii are mounted on the bomb shackle control unit and have outwardly extending flanges near the ends of the levers which surround the usual end of the bomb shackle levers ends of levers l1; and i2 when the bomb shackle is retained in place by hooks 3 and 4.

To release a bomb from such an arrangement,

it is merely necessary to operate the control unit, first to rotate the control unit lever l3 in a clockwise direction which causes the rotation of shackle arming lever I I, and second, to cause the rotation of lever It in a counterclockwise direction to cause hooks 9 to disengage from the loops of bands It to release the bomb from the bomb shackle. The lever M has on' the outer end a fixed projecting flange l5 and a hinged flange It. It will be noted when the lever l4 moves lever II, the load is taken by the fixed flange l5. The purpos of the hinged flange I6 is to permit the manual release of the bomb by pivoting flange l8 out of the way and moving release lever l2 by hand in a counterclockwise direction.

Figures 2 to 6 show one form of terminal end for lever It. In these figures is shown lever it having a ilxed flange l5 and the hinged flange l6. Flange It has portions I! through which extends the hinge pin l8. Extending at right angles to portions 11, parallel to the hinge pin are looking members l9. Members 20 serve to support the hinged flange on lever ll. Spring 2| urges the hinged flange to a position parallel with flange l5 and spring 22 is under compression and tends to move the hinge pin and hinged flange downward as viewed in Figure 6.

When the flanges are parallel or in the normal position shown in Figure 2, and it is desired to move the hinge flange to the position shown in Figure 3, it will be noted from Figure 4, that portions l9 extend under members 20, thus preventing the hinge action of flange ii. In order to hinge flange 18 on the pin l8, it is necessary to lift flange l5 until members I! disengage members 20. Spring 22 tends to prevent this motion. Flange I6 may be hinged to the position shown in Figure 3 against the force of spring 2|. It is readily apparent that two definite movements are required against the force of two springs, first to unlock and then, to hinge flange l6 outwardly to move release lever I 2 by hand.'

In the modification shown in Figures '7 to 12, the movable flange consists of member 26 which moves on hinge pin 21 supported between memflange parallel to the fixed flange l5.

From the description of parts, it follows that it is necessary to move member 29 outwardly from the lever, or upwardly as shown in Figures 10 to 12, until portion 30 is clear of the hole in It, then, and only then, is it possible to hinge flange 26 as shown in Figure 11. The manual operation of the movable flange entails two motions against the force of two springs to move the flange to the position shown in Figure 11, after which lever l2 can be manually operated.

It should be apparent that a bomb release unit so equipped with the safety flange, above described, cannot be moved accidentiy by a fouled bomb-hoisting cable, .nor can it be vibrated to lever to normally prevent independent movement of said release lever, said hinged projecting me her having elements associated therewith forming a locking device to maintain said bar mem- 5 her in the projecting position, said elements required to be disengaged before it is possible to move said projecting members about the hinge.

2. An actuating lever for the release lever of a bomb shackle comprising a lever member substantially co-extensive with said shackle release lever, a fixed flange on said lever member to engage and move said release lever, a hinged flange pivoted to said lever member, a locking means therefor to prevent inadvertent movement of said release lever, said locking member for said hinged bomb shackle comprising a lever member having two projecting flanges positioned on each side of the shackle release lever, one flange being rigidly secured to said lever member to engage and move said release lever, the other flange being hingedly a position where the bomb shackle release lever 26 securedw said lever member's spring biased lockwill inadvertently release a bomb, yet it is a simple manual operation to release a bomb when necessary and desirable.

It is to be understood that certain changes, alterations, modifications and substitutions can be made-without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bomb release device, a bomb shackle, a control unit therefor, said bomb shackle having arming and release levers, said control unit having actuating members surrounding said arming and release levers, means whereby a portion of said actuating member may be pivoted out of the way for manually operating said release lever to release the bomb, said means comprising .a hinged projecting bar member secured to said ing device for maintaining said flange in the projecting position whereby said locking device must be moved to permit hinging of said flange.

4. In a bomb release device, a bomb shackle, 8.

control unit therefor, said bomb shackle having an arming lever and a release lever, said control unit having an actuating member surrounding each of said arming and said release levers to prevent inadvertent movement thereof, and a manually operable latched, hinged portion on said release lever actuating member whereby said release lever may be disengaged from said actuating member for the manual release of a bomb, after said hinged portion is unlatched and pivoted out 49 of the path of said release lever. 

